My revised, early college basketball top-25 for 2010-11

Had intended to post this weeks and weeks (and weeks) ago but got derailed by the expansion, USC football, more expansion — and it reached the point that July seemed like a good spot, right before football ramps back up.

It’s the updated version of the rankings that were posted after the Final Four, with spring recruiting and NBA Draft decisions taken into account.

For instance, I had Duke in the 10-hole back in early April, thinking Kyle Singler would turn pro. Now that he’s back, Duke climbs the ladder — although not to the top rung.

The number in parenthetical represents the team’s position in the original rankings for comparative purposes.

25. Wichita State (Not Ranked): Three of the top-four scorers return from a team that won 25 games and finished second (to Northern Iowa) in the Missouri Valley.

14. Gonzaga (15): Of this there is little doubt: The best team in the west resides in Washington.

13. Missouri (21): Moved the Tigers up eight spots, largely due to not losing anyone while teams ahead of them (Butler and Ole Miss, for instance) got hit by NBA departures.

12. Washington (24): Should have one of the top backcourts in the country and will reach their potential if Matthew Bryan-Amaning contributes consistently up front.

11. Villanova (19): The Two Coreys are back (Fisher and Stokes), and the Wildcats have recruited very well the past two years. But they need someone, or something, to remove the March stench.

10. Ohio State (14): Frosh Jared Sullinger is an insta-impact big man who will join David Lighty and William Buford to (mostly) offset the loss of Evan Turner.

9. Illinois (8): Yes, the Big Ten will be loaded (four teams in my top 10). And the Illini should be in the thick of the race with four returning starters.

8. North Carolina (5): With John Henson and Harrison Barnes up front, the Heels only need decent play at the point to be a factor in the NCAAs.

7. Florida (9): I thought UF would have a breakthrough season in 2009-10. Can’t abandon them now, with all the returning firepower.

6. Kansas State (7): No. 6 in the nation but No. 2 in the state.

5. Kansas (12): The mid-April addition of mega-recruit Josh Selby fills one of the few holes in the lineup and is the primary reason the Jayhawks jumped seven spots.

4. Pittsburgh (6): Panthers won 25 games in what was supposed to be a reloading year. Next season, they’ll simply be loaded.

3. Michigan State (4): Third consecutive Final Four is well within reach thanks to the return of everyone but Raymar Morgan and the arrival of a top-flight recruiting class.

2. Duke (10): Thought long and hard about the Devils in the top spot with Singler coming back. But everything changes with expectations and the Devils won’t have Jon Scheyer’s steady hand to lead them.